Environmenta Engineering & Geotechnics, Inc. 149 Cross Street Winchester. Massachusetts 01890 {617) 721-1013 FAX 617 721 1001 September 16, 1991 Guilford Transportation Industries, Inc. Iron Horse Park North Billerica, MA. 01862-1688 RE: Laboratory Results MBTA Right of Way/ Perfection Auto Radiator Methuen, MA. EE&G Project No. 91.1016MA. Dear Mr. Mudholkar: In accordance with your request, Environmental Engineering & Geotechnics, Inc. (EE&G) has initiated preliminary investigations of the above referenced location. A preliminary site visit was conducted by EE&G personnel on July 19,1991. The site under investigation is a section of the MBTA right of way located in Methuen, Massachusetts. Specifically, the site is located northeast of the intersection of Oakland and Railroad Streets and abuts property occupied by Perfection Auto Radiator located at 39 Oakland Street. The right of way consists of a single track at this location. The rails are supported by wood ties and stone ballast. The right of way is abutted by Perfection Auto Radiator, Al's Auto Repair, Forster Lumber, Laidlaw School Bus terminal and several residential properties at this location. The ground surface slopes steeply from Perfection Auto Radiator towards the right of way in a west to east direction, with a total relief of approximately 15 feet. This investigation was initiated based on a Notice of Responsibility/Request for Information issued by the Department of Environmental Protection dated January 25, 1991. Reference Appendix A. An October 11, 1989 letter prepared by Jet-Line Services, referenced subsurface contamination in the area of the drain discharge from the rear of the Perfection Auto Radiator facility. The letter contains information and manifests for the removal of contaminated soils in the area of the drain. This work was performed by Jet-Line for Perfection Auto Radiator. Refer to Appendix B for the Jet-Line Services letter. Perfection Auto/Methuen, Massachusetts Project No. 91.1016MA September 16, 1991 Page2 of 4 On July 29, 1991, EE&G personnel/Cleted sufcsoil samples onite slope in the area of Perfection Auto Radiator. Refer to Appendix C for sketch of approximate sample location. Soil samples were collected utilizing precleaned, dedicated stainless steel hand shovels. Samples were collected in 500 ml glass jars with TeflonTM lined lids for total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) analysis in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 418.1. Samples collected for volatile organic compound (VOC's) analysis in accordance with EPA Method 8240 were collected in 40 ml glass vials with Teflont m septa. All samples were labeled in the field, placed in coolers, chilled to 4* Celsius and shipped overnight mail to Groundwater Analytical Services of Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts for analysis. Surface soil sample SS-1 was collected in the discharge area of a drain outfall exiting the foundation of Perfection Auto Radiator. It should be noted that a clear, sweet. smelling liquid was dripingfromthedran pipe at the time of the sample collection visit on July 29, 1991. Unfortunately there was not enough liquids being discharged to collect the required sample volume for laboratory analysis. Surface soil sample SS-1 had the sweet smelling odor characteristic of sgly.ents. Surface sample SS-2 was collected approximately 20 feet down the slope from SS-1. Surface sample SS-3 was collected another 20 feet down the slope from SS-2 at the base of the railroad ballast. Both samples 55-2 and SS-3 had the same sweet smelling odor as observed in SS-1. Soil samples were screened for total organic vapors (TOV's) in the field with a Photovac Microtip Tm' photoionization detector in accordance with the Headspace Methodology attached in Appendix D. The measured TOY headspace for soil sample SS-1 was 1,750 parts per million (ppm), SS-2 was 1,243 ppm and SS-3 was 951 ppm. The analytical laboratory results detected concentrations of the VOC's acetone (630 parts per billion [ppb]), 2-butanone (trace), toluene (22 ppb) and xylenes (21 ppb) in the sample SS-1. A TPH concentration of 19,000 ppm was detected in the sample for SS-1. All VOC's were below the reporting limit (BRL) of the analytical equipment for the sample SS-2. The TPH sample SS-2 detected a concentration of 380 ppm. No VOC's were detected in the VOC sample SS-3. A TPH concentration of 930 ppm was detected in the sample SS-3. Refer to Appendix E for complete laboratory results. Perfection Auto/Methuen, Massachusetts Project No. 91.1016MA September 16, 1991 _9_ Page 3 of 4 M Based on this preliminary soil sample data and the history of contamination at the Perfection Auto Radiator facility, the source of the release appears to be the drain pipe in the rear of the Perfection Auto Radiator property. Soil sample SS-1 collected in the area of the drain pipe discharge had the highest concentration of contaminants. The contaminant concentrations decreased in the soil samples (SS-2 and SS-3) collected further away from the drain discharge. Other areas of concern observed during this sample collection visit included Al's Auto Repair property located at the intersection of Oakland and Railroad Streets. It appears that oily surface runoff from auto repair discharges onto the railroad right of way. Additionally, automotive debris and other miscellaneous debris appear to have been discarded onto the right of way property at this location. DuG ersonnel observed Al's Auto personnel discading auto pans, oilstained sands and other debris onto the right of way. Al's Auto Repair was cleaning and sweeping the service bays and parking areas of its operation at this time. Based on the results of this limited preliminary investigation, it appears that an off-site release may be impacting the railroad right of way. EE eonends-that-test-borings-and-groun4wter monitoring wells be installed and additional soil and groundwater samples be collected for laboratory analysis to provide additional information and confirm these conclusions. It should be noted that all surficial investigations are inherently limited in the sense that conclusions are drawn and recommendations developed based on limited research information collected at State and local agencies and a visual review of the site and the surrounding area. Confirmation of the environmental acceptability can only be determined by a subsurface investigative program and chemical analysis of the site's soil and groundwater. EE&G's professional services have been performed in accordance with acceptable environmental and geotechnical practices. EE&G is not responsible for independent conclusions, opinions or recommendations made by others based on the information contained herein. The recommendations and conclusions provided herein are based solely on the scope of work conducted and the availability of information at this time. EE&G's opinions are based on professional expertise and no guarantee is implied herein. Perfection Auto/Methuen, M assachusetts Project No. 91.1016MA September 16, 1991 Page 4 of 4 6 If there are any questions and/or comments pertaining to the above mentioned project, please do not hesitate to contact EE&G's office; (Contact person: Thomas Williamson, Jr., telephone: (617) 721-1013). Sincerely, Environmental Engineerin omas W1 iamson, Jr Project Manager / Environmen Engineer TW/tw Attachments ATTACHMENTS ATTACHMENT A DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (DEP) NOTICE OF RESPONSIBILITY January 25, 1991 t/ t)'m/m/W7&Cea ttse J{7ac * &z, 0a&a -/uoetta orzo Daniel S. Greenbaun O / Commissioner (617) 935-2160 - January 25, 1991 Guilford Transportatinn RE: IETHUEN_ - ERB-N89-0750 Tudustries, Inc. RJil.oadRight--of-ay c/o Boston & Maine Railroad Request for Information Tron Horme Park Pursuant to M.G... c21E North Rillorica, MA 01862 ad 310 CMR 40.000 Attpi3n: Vinay Mudholkar, Chief Engineer Dear ;Mr. Mudho kar: M May .10, 1.989, D-:partment personnel investigated reports concerning the ree.Inas of waste oil from Perfection Auto.RadiatQ.r._at 39 Oakland Avenue, , -N11thqasac1usetts which abuts Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authorily's (MBTA) railroad right-of-way. Because it appeared that the railroadii bed had heel excavated at one time with the excavated materia) lije., soil, railroad ties) placed along the embankment, soil samples were collected out side I lie spil) area on the embankment to obtain background total petroleum hydrncarion (TPH) levels. The levels ranged from 270 parts per million (ppm) to 2,949 ppm TPH. Crosquently you were instructed to enter into a contract with a cleanip contractir, approved by the Department to (1) perform necessary analyses of th wast material and make arrangements for its treatment/disposal; (2) perform analysis of the soil/water /groundwater impacted by the release to determuit contaminait conditions at the site after the initial response to the incident; and (3) submit a report of their findings for review by the Onpar t meit. Prtsunnt to the Departmnt 's authority to perform information-gathering activities and its authority to. investigate, sample and inspect records,. rnlitumizs, eqtipjment, practices or property under M.G.h. C.21E Sections 2, 4 and 8, you are directed to provide to the Department, within seven (7) days of the dat. of this letter, an incident report to include the following nfornation: (1) a brjitf account of why, how and where such release occurred; and I Original Printed on Recycled Paper Pago 2 (2) an esimate, to the best of your knowledge, of the quantity of -il/hazardous material released; and ( -a brief description of all emergency remedial actions that have been and/or will be taken relative to such release: p]ease include fit-d screen:i.ng data and/or analytical data (soil/groundwater) describ:ing contaminant conditions at the site; and (flaThbnratory results of soil/water samples taken from the "cleaned up" envirnnmenta] media impacted by the release; and (sI phnIoropies of all waste manifests for the oil/hazardous material released; and a detailed description and a timetable of measures you plan to imp Inemnt to prevent future recurrence of such incidents.